GEORGE TOWN, July 6 -- The adaptive reuse of eight Category II heritage shophouses into the Cultural Heritage Hub (CH2) is set to become a model for preserving George Town's ageing pre-war shophouses.

George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) general manager Ang Ming Chee said the project would show how adaptive reuse can breathe new life into old buildings while respecting their heritage value.

"There are about 371 Category II shophouses in George Town," she said in her speech during the kick-off ceremony for CH2 today.

The shophouses along Acheh Street were severely damaged in a 2015 fire and were left structurally unsafe for years.

Lim Kongsi Toon Pun Tong leased the buildings to GTWHI at a nominal rental under a 30-year agre...